life is sweet • life is colorful — Nikki Rappaport

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Category Archives: Life

Glitter type and denim jackets and glazed doughnuts…these are a few of my favorite things today. After a busy few weeks, and a few busy ones ahead, I’m looking forward to soaking up spring this weekend. Farmer’s market, iced coffee walks, reading in the park, a glass of rosé outside. It’s the best time of year! (minus the allergies)

When I was 11 I wrote in my journal that I was feeling very confused because I really liked my new boyfriend but I felt like it was overtaking my love for NSYNC. “I have one problem though. And this is VERY hard to say. I still LOVE NSYNC but I don’t know what to say. I just feel like I’m about to grow apart from 5 GREAT GUYS.” I was torn. How could I be obsessed with two things at once? Needless to say, a few days later, I wrote that I got my NSYNC love back and I was feeling great. And clearly I haven’t grown apart from those five guys yet, even with a handful of boyfriends along the way.

So I’ve been through this before. It’s a balancing act. I can spend all day with my job that I love and still make time for my blog (and my friends, and cooking, and yoga, and exploring, and dating) which I love too. I’m going to refocus on this balance this spring. It’s the most special thing to be able to choose to what and to whom you connect with. And to have multiple passions, well, aren’t I just lucky? Those things – spending mornings in the kitchen, long walks with my dad, learning more about photography for Cava projects, knowing the It’s Gonna Be Me dance after 14 years – those are me. Live, Work, Create. Let’s do it all.

It’s been fun being back on the blog this week…thanks for all of your support and sweet comments! There’s no sweeter to end a long week than with birthday celebrations. Good friends, heaps of pasta, hot pink nails, blow outs, bubbly. I feel so lucky to have such amazing people around me + such awesome internet pals who have stuck with me for five years. I’ve grown up so much on here since I was 22. And can’t imagine life differently. Merci beaucoup!

Trying to regularly get back to this blogging thing. Something has been off for the last few weeks. Maybe it has something to do with not spending time here. So let’s try it again. We’ll start with something simple. The basics. Breakfast.

I’ve been thinking about breakfast a lot recently. Rumor has it, I might be cooking breakfast on a tv show with one of my all time favorite legends. I’m still afraid of jinxing it, so while I don’t want to over-gush just yet, I do want to talk about breakfast.

To me breakfast isn’t about starting the day off right physically. Sure, I try to eat mildly healthy so that happens. But for me, breakfast is about starting the day off with a feeling. Letting yourself feel maybe for the first time, getting yourself ready for all the other things you’ll feel that day. Nothing has changed since you were in bed…you’re still in your pajamas, your eyes are still a little shut because it’s bright out, you probably haven’t even spoken yet. But then there’s that first sip of coffee that makes your brain tingle. The sound of cracking an egg. The flavors of an everything bagel or cheddar cheese that remind you of breakfasts mom and dad used to make. Tastes and smells and little observations that make you feel. It’s your first chance to connect with something. Isn’t that what you get out of bed for? Those feelings, that connection, is what wakes me up. What gets me going in the morning and keeps me going all day long. It’s how you start your day off right.

I often fall into breakfast habits, so I’m trying to switch it up a bit. Stay in tune with what inspires me. Find new connections. A few weekends ago I had a friend over and we made these cinnamon brown butter waffles with maple berries. The thing about breakfast is that there isn’t and there shouldn’t be too much work to it. After all, your eyes might not even be open. A few stirs, a machine that does the work for you, and a new friend to talk food with. It’s simple. We should eat more breakfast.

Cinnamon Brown Butter Waffles

7 Tbs butter

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbs cinnamon

1 Tbs sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature

Preheat waffle iron. Brown butter over low heat. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Beat in eggs and milk until combined. Pour mixture over headed waffle iron and cook to your iron’s instructions until waffles are golden brown and crisp.

Maple Berry Compote

In a small saucepan, cook berries (I used raspberries and blackberries) with some good maple syrup. You could also add some bourbon. Cook until reduced into a sauce.

Are we over this snow yet? Another day at home…bundled up in a fuzzy blanket, sipping coffee, working, as the snow falls sideways. It’s nice actually, to have time to myself. Power through emails, no distractions, wearing the comfiest pajamas all day long. A break from trying to impress and entertain constantly. So maybe for one last time, I’m thankful for the snow. Last one though!

One other snow day perk, a craving (maybe more so than usual) for a rich and comforting pasta. Hopefully your fridge is stocked with a few simple ingredients – spinach, cauliflower, cheese – because you’ll want to crawl into this dish and hibernate. Mmmm. My no-recipe version below…

Creamy, Cheesy Orecchiette with Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach

Chop cauliflower in small bite-sized pieces and place on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast for about 20-30 minutes at 400°. Meanwhile, sauté chopped onions and garlic in butter and olive oil for a while until onions have softened. Add a whole bag of baby spinach and stir as it wilts. Add some heavy cream and and a spoonful of mascarpone into the sauce. Toss in roasted cauliflower and cooked pasta. Serve with fresh grated parm and a dollop of fresh ricotta.